Fig. 4. Progressive loss of outer hair cells in the organ of Corti of Barhl1-null mice. (A-L) Labeling of Barhl1^+/– and Barhl1^–/– whole-mount organs of Corti with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin. Compared to the heterozygote (A-C), many outer hair cells degenerate in the apical and middle turns by P19 (E-G) and only a few residual outer hair cells (arrows) remain by P63 (I-K) in the mutant. By contrast, the basal turn of the mutant is essentially normal except for occasional missing outer hair cells (arrowheads) by P63 (D,H,L). Background staining in mutants presumably results from degenerating and degenerated supporting cells (E-G,I-K). Scale bars: 18.75 µm.

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